Modifications to the rapid melt/rapid quench and transparent polymer video furnaces for the KC-135

Given here is a summary of tasks performed on two furnace systems, the Transparent Polymer (TPF) and the Rapid Melt/Rapid Quench (RMRQ) furnaces, to be used aboard NASA's KC-135. It was determined that major changes were needed for both furnaces to operate according to the scientific investigators' experiment parameters. Discussed here are what the problems were, what was required to solve the problems, and possible future enhancements. It was determined that the enhancements would be required for the furnaces to perform at their optimal levels. Services provided include hardware and software modifications, Safety DataPackage documentation, ground based testing, transportation to and from Ellington Air Field, operation of hardware during KC-135 flights, and post-flight data processing

FNAS modify matric and transparent experiments

Monotectic alloy materials are created by rapid melt/rapid solidification processing on the NASA KC-135. Separation of the uniform liquid into two liquids may occur by either of two processes; spinodal decomposition or nucleation followed by growth. In the first case, the liquid is unstable to composition waves, which form and grow, giving liquids of two different compositions. In the latter process discrete particles of the second liquid phase form via thermal fluctuations and then grow by diffusion. The two processes are very different, with the determining process being dictated by temperature, composition, and thermodynamic characteristics of the alloy. The first two quantities are process variables, while the third is determined by electronic interactions between the atoms in the alloy. In either case the initial alloy decomposition is followed by coarsening, resulting in growth of the particle size at nearly constant volume fraction. In particular, reduced gravity experiments on monotectic solutions have shown a number of interesting results in the KC-135. Monotectic solutions exhibit a miscibility gap in the liquid state, and consequently, gravity driven forces can dominate the solidification parameters at 1 g. In reduced gravity however, the distribution of the phases is different, resulting in new and interesting microstructures. The Rapid Melt/Rapid Quench Furnace allows one to melt a sample and resolidify it in one parabola of the KC-135's flight path, thus eliminating any accumulative influence of multiple parabolas to affect the microstructure of the material

Test equipment data package for the KC-135 fiber pulling apparatus

The Fiber Pulling Apparatus (FPA) is a device designed to produce continuous glass fibers from simulated lunar soil, and to determine the effects of reduced gravity, specifically 1/6 g on fiber formation and resultant properties. Briefly, pre-melt simulated lunar soil will be placed in a pint crucible and heated to 1200 C or higher, up to a maximum temperature of 1400 C. At a given temperature, a quartz fiber will be immersed into the melt and then pulled through a chill block and wound onto a cylindrical bobbin using a servo motor control. A high resolution video camera will record the fiber as it is being pulled. This assembly wil be enclosed in Plexiglas. Before fiber pulling commences, the apparatus will be backfilled with dry nitrogen. A separate data acquisition system will support this apparatus. This system will contain a personal computer, video recorder, and monitor. Temperature, acceleration, winding speed, and video images will be controlled and recorded using the data acquisition system. Thus, the FPA will consist of two hardware packages, the fiber production assembly and the data acquisition rack. The primary objective of this test is to determine the effects of 1/6 g on the formation of continuous glass fiber made from simulated lunar soil. Baseline studies using the FPA on the ground will provide a reference for the 1/6 g studies. Of particular interest will be the effect of 1/6 g on the free fluid zone where the fiber exits the crucible. In the fiber spinning parlance this zone is known as the upper jet region, where the boundary slope is greater than one tenth. The properties of the resulting glass fiber will depend on the jet shape as well as distributions of velocity, temperature and tension within the jet. It is unknown at this time how 1/6 g will effect these parameters

Materials processing apparatus development for fluoride glass

Fluoride glasses have great potential for optical fiber communications due to the high transmittance when no microcrystallites occur during drawing operations. This work has developed apparatus to test the occurrence of microcrystallites during recrystallization in reduced gravity on the KC-135. The apparatus allows fluoride glass fiber, such as ZBLAN, to be melted and recrystallized during both the low and high g portions the parabolic flight

Measuring Quality, Cost, and Value of IT Services

Longer version published at 2001 55th Annual Quality Congress, American Society for Quality, Charlotte, NC.Support for all users of computer hardware, software, and networks is crucial for full realization of the value that these digital intelligence amplifiers can offer a scholarly community. Bloated applications, opaque user manuals, infelicitous interactions among peripherals and the computers and networks to which they are attached, and short mean time-to-failure for some pieces of hardware provide challenges for even the most experienced users. Thus even in the beginning of the 21st Century, when it is asserted the technology has “matured,” the value that can be derived from use of IT services is directly proportional to the level of effective IT support that can be provided for the customers of these services. The focus of this narrative is how one maintains and continually improves the quality of that support

Fiber Pulling Apparatus

The fiber optics industry has grown into a multi-billion marketplace that will continue to grow into the 21st century. Optical fiber communications is currently dominated by silica glass technology. Successful efforts to improve upon the low loss transmission characteristics of silica fibers have propelled the technology into the forefront of the communications industry. However, reaching the theoretical transmission capability of silica fiber through improved processing has still left a few application areas in which other fiber systems can provide an influential role due to specific characteristics of high theoretical transmission in the 2 - 3 micron wavelength region. One of the other major materials used for optical fibers is the systems based upon Heavy Metal Fluoride Glass (HMFG). Commercial interest is driven primarily by the potential for low loss repeaterless infrared fibers. An example of the major communications marketplace which would benefit from the long distance repeaterless capability of infrared fibers is the submarine cables which link the continents. When considering commercial interests, optical fiber systems provide a healthy industrial position which continues to expand. Major investments in the systems used for optical fiber communications have continued to increase each year and are predicted to continue well into the next century. Estimates of 8.5% compounded annually are predicted through 1999 for the North American market and 1 1 % worldwide. The growth for the optical fiber cable itself is expected to continue between 44 and 50 per cent of the optical fiber communications budget through 1999. The total budget in 1999 world-wide is expected to be in the neighborhood of $9 billion. Another survey predicts that long haul telecommunications represents 15$8.5 billion through 1993 and another $13 billion planned through 1998. A large portion of the future activity (34%) is planned for Southeast Asia and the Pacific Region. Other examples of the commercial utility of optical fiber networks is given in a recent scientific symposium in which the outlook for HMFG infrared fiber was determined to be very bright.Another area of interest lies in the use of fiber optics for laser surgery delivery systems

Atrazine and Alachlor Dissipation Rates from Field Experiments

Chemical transport is being monitored in the root zone of three agricultural management systems at the Ohio Management Systems Evaluation Area (OMSEA). Atrazine and alachlor concentration data from soil cores taken to a depth of 0.9 m and partitioned into the increments of 0.0 to 0.15, 0.15 to 0.3, 0.45 to 0.6, and 0.75 to 0.9 m show the herbicides remained in the top 0.15 m of the profile during the 1991 and 1992 growing seasons. The slow movement of herbicides was partly due to below normal rainfall during the period. Since the herbicides have not been transported out of the soil profile, dissipation rates could be determined from the field observations. The data collected follow first-order kinetics in the dissipation of atrazine during the 1991 and 1992 growing season and of alachlor during the 1991 growing season for the two- to three-month period following chemical application. The computed rate constant, k, was 0.02 d–1 and half-life, t1/2, was 35 days for atrazine for both years. A rate constant of 0.04 d–1 and half-life of 17 days were computed for alachlor. The degradation rates became slower with residence time in the soil as a result of decreased availability from sorption/binding in the soil

Analysis of queries from nurses to the South African National HIV & TB Health Care Worker Hotline

Background. Since 2008, the Medicines Information Centre (MIC) has run the South African National HIV & TB Health Care Worker Hotline which provides free information on patient treatment to all healthcare workers in South Africa. With the introduction of nurse-initiated management of antiretroviral therapy (NIMART) in the public sector, the need for easy access to HIV and tuberculosis (TB) information has increased, especially among nurses. The hotline aims to provide this, most importantly to nurses in rural areas, where clinical staff often have little access to peer review. Objective. To describe the queries received from nurses by the hotline between 1 March and 31 May 2012 and identify problem areas and knowledge gaps where nurses may require further training. Methods. All queries received from nurses during the study period were analysed. An experienced information pharmacist reviewed all queries to identify knowledge gaps. Results. During the study period, the hotline received a total of 1 479 HIV- and TB-related queries from healthcare workers. Of these, 386 were received from nurses, of which 254 (66%) were NIMART-trained. The most common query subtopic was initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) (20%), followed by adverse drug reactions (18%). The most common knowledge gap identified was the ability to interpret laboratory results before initiating ART (10%). Discussion. We conclude that the hotline is providing clinical help to an increasing number of nurses on the topic of treating HIV and TB throughout South Africa. In addition, queries directed to the hotline may assist in identifying knowledge gaps for the further training of nurses

Improving Chronic Pain Management Processes in Primary Care Using Practice Facilitation and Quality Improvement: The Central Appalachia Inter-Professional Pain Education Collaborative

Purpose: With the increasing burden of chronic pain and opioid use, provider shortages in Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia have experienced many challenges related to chronic pain management. This study tested a practice facilitator model in both academic and community clinics that selected and implemented best practice processes to better assist patients with chronic pain and increase the use of interdisciplinary health care services. Methods: Using a quasi-experimental design, a practice facilitator was assigned to each state’s clinics and trained clinic teams in quality improvement methods to implement chronic pain tool(s) and workflow processes. Charts for 695 patients with chronic pain using opioids, from 8 randomly selected clinics in eastern Appalachia, were reviewed to assess for changes in clinic processes. Results: Statistically significant improvements were found in 10 out of 16 chronic pain best practice process measures. These included improved workflow implementation (P < 0.001), increased urine drug screen test orders (P = 0.001) and increased utilization of controlled medication agreements (P = 0.004). In total, 7 of 8 clinics significantly improved in at least one, if not all, selected and implemented process measures. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that practice facilitation, standardization of workflows and formation of structured clinical teams can improve processes of care in chronic pain management and facilitate the use of interdisciplinary services. Future studies are needed to assess long-term patient-centered outcomes that may result from improved processes of chronic pain care